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Gophers football: Will Anthony Smith return in 2026 or head to NFL?
Gophers defensive lineman Anthony Smith wouldn't say Wednesday if he's returning to Minnesota in 2026 for his final season, or entering the NFL Draft. He says he's focused on playing Wisconsin Saturday, and bringing Paul Bunyan's Axe back to Minneapolis.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The University of Minnesota football team hosts rival Wisconsin in its regular season finale on Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium.
Will Anthony Smith walk on Senior Day?
What we know:
It’s Senior Day for the Gophers, which means the players that will be wearing the Minnesota uniform for the last time will walk out before kickoff. They embrace coach P.J. Fleck and spend time on the field with their families.
Will star defensive lineman Anthony Smith be one of them?
"Yet to see. I don’t know. Focused on the Axe, it’s a big week for us. Being 1-0, that’s what I’m worried about," Smith said Wednesday.
Anthony Smith’s football future
Why you should care:
Smith came to the Gophers out of Pennsylvania hoping to be a first round pick in the NFL Draft. He’s a senior, but has one year of eligibility remaining, if he chooses to take it. Either that, or he can declare for the 2026 NFL Draft after the season.
Smith is 6-6, 285 pounds, and his 10.5 sacks through 11 games leads the Big Ten. That includes one sack and two quarterback pressures at Oregon. Minnesota has a streak of six straight years with a player being selected in the first or second round.
Could Smith be next?
"I don’t know, I’m focused on this week. My goal has always been to go to the NFL, so whenever that happens, that’s the plan. That’s my idea," Smith said.
If he does return next season, he’ll be the unquestioned leader of the defensive line. The unit loses Jalen Logan-Redding, Deven Eastern and Rushawn Lawrence, who are out of eligibility.
Facing the Badgers
Dig deeper:
The Gophers host Wisconsin to close out the regular season Saturday. Fleck has four wins over the Badgers, including three of the last four games, but Wisconsin comes in with two wins in its last three games, both over ranked teams after the program announced Luke Fickell would return in 2026.
After Saturday, the Gophers have to wait until the conference championship